Anxiety Attacks

As our lives get busier, people feel more pressure in every aspect of their lives. Performing at work, supporting their families and accomplishing numerous tasks in a day tends to leave people feeling stressed and overwhelmed. When stress gets to be too much, our bodies feel a physical effect.

Everyone handles stress differently. What might be stressful to one person is no big deal to another. When someone feels nervous or jittery in a stressful situation, this is called anxiety. Anxiety is our body’s normal way of handling stress. Anxiety is kind of like an alarm going off in your body, warning you of a situation you perceive as a threat. This doesn’t just apply to physical danger; it can apply to anything that stresses you. Anxiety isn’t always a bad thing. Anxiety is your body’s way of making you more alert and focused on a situation, so in many circumstances, anxiety is what gets you through it.

Anxiety attacks, also referred to as panic attacks, are an extreme reaction in your body to anxiety. In situations that cause extreme fear, such as facing a phobia, you might experience an anxiety attack. Other times, an anxiety attack may come on with no warning, and no apparent cause. Anxiety attacks have obvious physical symptoms, so they can be scary, and often are mistaken for other medical problems.

Many people feel like they are having a heart attack when they get an anxiety attack. That’s because some of the physical symptoms can be severe and even painful. Chest pains or heart palpitations, trouble breathing, and shakiness can make you feel like you’re dying. Anxiety attacks may also make you feel like you’re out of control or and detached. Nausea, cramps, and even hot or cold flashes may increase your feeling of anxiety.

Even when they are for no noticeable reason, anxiety attacks can be scary. They come on suddenly, and last anywhere from 10 to 30 minutes. If you experience anxiety attacks that are triggered by a certain activity, your doctor may be able to help you overcome them with simple techniques. Even unexplained anxiety attacks are easily treated.

Everyone experiences situations that stress them and cause them anxiety. It’s normal, and sometimes even helpful. If your anxiety, however, keeps you from functioning normally or causes you to avoid certain activities, discuss treatment options with your doctor. Anxiety attacks can be scary, but there’s no reason to let them control your life.